Abreu struck on knee, day to day with bruise

CHICAGO -- José Abreu has endured quite a bit of physical pain during the 2021 season.

The White Sox first baseman crashed into the Royals’ Hunter Dozier while chasing Dozier’s foul popup in the first game of a doubleheader on May 14. He sustained a left ankle injury two days later while racing in with the game-winning run from third base and on June 9 was inadvertently hit in the left shin by a bat thrown by home-plate umpire Erich Bacchus as he tried to clear a path for Jake Lamb scoring.

So, Abreu getting hit by a pitch from Mariners reliever JT Chargois in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Seattle was more along that painful course for the White Sox leader. Abreu was hit in the left knee and immediately fell to the ground writhing in pain, slamming his helmet in disgust. Abreu got to his feet, with the crowd chanting “M-V-P,” but had to be helped off the field.

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Sunday’s first game was the completion of Saturday’s contest, suspended in the bottom of the third in a scoreless deadlock due to inclement weather.

The White Sox announced Abreu left with a bruised left knee and X-rays for a fracture were negative. He is listed as day to day and was not in the lineup for Game 2.

“Definitely never want to see that happen, especially pretty much the backbone of the team,” White Sox Game 1 pitcher Dallas Keuchel said. “We're all hoping that it's nothing major, but we're already hampered enough as it is and we rode it thin today.

“We're all hoping for the best for José. For him to come out of the game means it was hurting. We're hoping to pick him up, but can't really replace that."

That hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with nobody out, allowing Yasmani Grandal to come through with a game-tying sacrifice fly. Keuchel, who was the originally scheduled starter for Sunday, took over for Lance Lynn in the fourth inning of the suspended game and allowed two runs on six hits over five innings, striking out four and walking one.

Keuchel gave way to closer Liam Hendriks in the ninth at 87 pitches, and Taylor Trammell’s second homer of the game provided the ninth-inning game-winner. It was the White Sox seventh loss in their last eight games.

Abreu is the latest in an increasingly long line of injuries for the White Sox. Left fielder Eloy Jiménez, center fielder Luis Robert, right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech, outfielders Adam Eaton, Adam Engel and Billy Hamilton and second baseman Nick Madrigal -- who is out for the season after having surgery to repair a torn right hamstring -- already are out of action. In addition, right-handed reliever Jimmy Cordero had Tommy John surgery during Spring Training.